Plastic sandwich bags: we pack ’em, use ’em, toss ’em, and forget ’em. Admittedly, they are convenient, but we need to change our mindset from disposable to reusable.

The Alternative:

Over the summer, a close friend of mine started her own craft shop, Amanda’s Graceful Gifts, on Etsy. She sells a variety of great products, but her reusable, fabric sandwich bags are my favourite.

She uses an iron-on vinyl on the inside of the fabric, making the bags water resistant. Vinyl lining also protects foods like bread or carrots from drying out during the day.

The larger bag is perfect for sandwiches, loose food like grapes or chips, and even non-food items (I’ve used it as a camera bag for my polaroid!). The smaller pouch is great for portioned snacks, like crackers, cereal, or candy.

One set (one sandwich bag, one snack pouch) costs $8 CND, which is a small investment. A box of over a hundred disposable sandwich bags retails for only a few dollars, but the economical advantage to reusable sandwich bags comes secondary to the environmental advantage.

Yes, I admit, you would have to use one reusable bag hundreds of times to earn back what you would’ve spent on disposable bags. That said, every time you use a reusable sandwich bag, you save one disposable bag from becoming landfill. Every step you take toward sustainability is a step worth taking, large or small.

Containers are, of course, another viable alternative, and one that is usually already available in our homes. As a busy student with a full backpack, I prefer the sandwich bags for space reasons. Whichever way you cut disposable plastics from your daily routine is an achievement, for you and the earth.

4 Responses to Greener Alternatives: Sandwich Bags

I’ve used the same plastic boxes for 10 years, only because the lunches get squished and sometimes I send things that wouldn’t hold in the bags. However, my concern is the breakdown of the plastic over time.

Preferably, you can recycle old plastic containers. You can find recycling locations close to you at . Double-check beforehand though, because some brands, like Tupperware, are made with lifetime guarantees, so they aren’t made to be recycled.